Julius wolff



2 sheets-sheet J WoLPP.-

FOLDING GRATE.

No. 545,930. f Patentd sepa. 10,'1895.

2 sheets-v-sheet 2.

J. WOLFF.

vPOLDINGf GBATB.

-(No Model.)

. W/TNESSES: IN VENTOH MW. MA

Py I

ATENT FFTCE JULIUs woLFF, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING CRATE..

d SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,930, dated September 10, 1895, i Application filed December 14, 1894. Serial No. 531.799. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may conccrn: p Y

Be it known that L'JULIUs WOLFF, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Inprovei Foldin g Cra'te, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. I

My invention relates to a folding or knockdown crate, and has for its object to so construct a packing box or crate that after its contents have been removed its parts may be compactly folded one upon the other without entirely separating the parts and thus form a compact parcel capable of being returned to the shipper in an economic m'anner.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the crate or box that its parts may be expeditiously and convenien-tly set up again, and whereby when the box is set up the cover thereof will be in sections capable of being carried Without being disconnected from the ends downward,`paralle1 and in engagement with the outside faces of said ends.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will' be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the olaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of a box set up and constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the box shown in Fig. 1, with the top and one of the sides of the box in folded position. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the box fully folded. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a crate constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of one of the cover-Sections and an ed ge view of one of the end Sections of the box, illustrating the peculiar shape of hinge employed, the coversection being in covering position. Fig 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, the cover-section being in folded position; and Fig. 7 is a section taken substantially on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6.

In carrying out the nvention the box or crate comprises a bottom panel A, two side panels B and B', two end panels C and O', and two cover-'panels D and D'. The bottom panel A is provided with a fiange or upward extensionv 10 at each of its ends, the height of the said extension corresponding substantially to the Combined thickness of any two of the sections, particularly the conbined thickness of the two side panels, and the said bottom panel at one side, which may be termed the baok, is provided with a longitudinal flange or upward extension 11, as shown in Fig. 2, of a height slightly greater than the thickness of the side panel B. The said side panel B is connected with the upper face of the bottom panel. by means of two or more hinges 12, of any approved construction, the end panels G and O' being connected by hinges 13 with the upper face of the end fianges or projections 10 of the bottom panel, while the side panel B' is connected by hinges 14 with the upper edge of the side fiange or projection 11 of the bottom panel, the hinges upon all of the panels being so placed as to enable the panels to fold inward one upon the other, and when the panels are brought to an upright position their lower edges will contact firmly and truly with the surfaces to which they are hinged.

The two cover-panels D and D" are attached to the upper edges of the end panels by means of hinges E of a peculiar pattern, since these cover-panels are to be folded down in contact and parallcl With the outer faces of the end panels, and when the box is to be closed must be carried upward over the top portion of the box to rest upon the top of the said end panels.

The cover-panels D and D' likewise rest, when in their closed position, upon the side panel B, but abut against the inner side face of the opposing side panel B', which is of greater Width than the other panels, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The hinge E consists of a yoke, U-shaped, or staple section 15, which is made to receive between its members an edge of the cover, a space'intervening between the outer edge of the cover and the vertical member of the staple, as shown best in Fig. 5.

The staple is secured to the cover by passing bolts 16, or their equivalents, through the horizontal member thereof and through the said cover. The second section of the hinge consists of a plate 17, which is to be screwed upon the outer face of the end section, the Said IOU plate extending practically to the upper edge of the end section of the box, and said plate terminates at its upper end in knuckles 18.

A yoke-section 19,,provided with suitable knuckles 20, as shown in Fig. 7, is pivotally connected to the knuckle end of the plate-section by means of a pivot-pin 21, and the vertical member of the staple-section 15, attached to the cover, is passed through the yoke-section 19, connected with the body of the box. In this manner the sections of the hinge will have such play as to enable the cover-section to which it is attached to be carried upward over the edge of the body-section to a horizontal position, or downward over such edge to a Vertical position. It will be understood that the body and likewise the cover panels may be made solid, as shown in F'gs. 1 and 2, or said panels may be constructed more or less open to form a crate, as shown in Fig. 4.

The box being in its set-up form, it is reduced to its folded position by carrying the two cover-panels outward to an engagement with the end panels, as shown in Fig. 2. The panel B is then folded inward upon the bottom panel A, and the panel B' is then folded over upon the panel B. The two end panels are then folded inward upon the uppermost side panel, carrying with them the cover-panels. In this manner, as shown in Fig. 3, a series of fiat and compactly-placed Sections is obtained, enabling-the box in its folded posi- Maese 1. In a folding packing box or crate, the

combination with two of the panels, of a hinge connecting the said panels, the said hinge, comprising a yoke member having a hinge connection with one of the panels, and a staple member secured to the other panel, the plane of the staple member beingA at right angles to that of the yoke member and passing loosely therethrough, substantially as described.

2. In a folding box or crate, the combination with a body panel, and a cover panel, of hinges connecting the said panels, each hinge consisting of a yoke member having a hinge connection with the body panel,and a staple member secured to the edge of the cover panel, the plano of the staple member being at right angles to that of the yoke member and passing loosely thereth'ough, substantially as described.

3. A folding crate, comprising a bottom panel having upwardly projecting extensions at its ends and one side, side panels,one hinged to the edge of the bottom panel and the other to the side extension thereof, and -panels hinged to the end extensions of the bottom panel, cover panels, and hinges connecting the cover panels to the end panels, each hinge consisting of a plate secured to the end panels, a yoke hinged to the plate, and a staple secured to the cover panel, the plane of the staple being at right angles to that of the yoke and passing loosely therethrough, substantially as herein shown and described.

JULIUS WOLFF. Witnesses:

J. FRED. AoKnR, NATHAN SCHEYER. 

